Another Baldy Birthday

Last year for my birthday, I talked Christine into climbing up to Bald Peak by going up the steep Chehalem Road. This year I decided to add to the tradition by taking another route up to Baldy that I had not taken before. My boss had rode up to Baldy from the Hillsboro side and told me about the ride. I thought “hey, why not give it a try.” I started up Rex hill, then out Scholl’s Ferry to Scholls. I got on Hillsboro highway for a few miles and turned onto Bald Peak Road. I was moving at a good clip, averaging 19 MPH even with all the rollers and the little climb up Rex. I could feel the work out from last night as the road turned upward. This side climbs a bit different – steep for the first 3 miles with changing grades, flattens out, and then turns steep again the last mile before the park. The grades weren’t consistent like the Newberg side. I was able to get up in a little over 39 minutes. Not bad for not knowing the first half of the climb. There was not a lot of time to ride today. Craig had a game at 10 AM and it did not get light till about 7 AM.

All told, it was a nice week on the bike. Monday was a half Baldy, Wednesday was Gibb cemetery and Coral Creek, Friday was a 75 minute time trial, and Saturday was a back side Baldy for a total of 101 miles and a lot of climbing.

A note about Coral Creek: I had not ridden it for most of the summer. I decided to give it a try at the end of the Wednesday ride. I was riding my 11-23 for the first time up the hill. Without pushing, I equaled by best time up the hill. Maybe this next week, I will ride it with earnest and see what kind of time I can put up.

Congrats to Levi on winning the TT in the Vuelta today and for finishing on the podium.

See ya on the road.